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An Analysis of Disciplinary Variation in the Structure of Research Article Introductions
Abstract
This paper presents an analysis of research article introductions from two disciplines in the field of Computer Science and Technology, i.e. Computer Information Security and Computer Languages, using Swales' (1990) Create-A-Research-Space (CARS) model. The results of the analysis indicate that there is disciplinary variation in the structure of this genre, which has important implications on pedagogy. The results also show that although the CARS model adequately describes the main framework of the introductions, a greater degree of embedding is needed in this model to account for the structures found in the introductions analyzed. Based on the results of the analysis, a modified version of the CARS model is presented in the concluding section.
... They also note that based on their analysis, software engineering researchers tend to announce the study's main contribution right in the introduction in order to "sell" their research in a highly competitive and fast-moving field. Han et al. (2010) explored RA introductions from two CE sub-disciplines, namely computer information security and computer languages, using Swalesian' move analysis. Their results showed that although the CaRS model describes the main rhetorical framework of the CE introductions, there are some extra rhetorical moves that should be included, including an Evaluation of the main results move and a Structure outline move. ...
Genre analysis has offered us valuable insights into the rhetorical organization of different genres. Regarding the research article (RA) genre in engineering, previous move-based works have shown that disciplinary variation is evident, especially across computer engineering (CE) sub-disciplines which often showcase unique rhetorical structures and patterns due to the newness of the field. Using Swales’ seminal move analysis approach (1990) this paper presents a synthesis of move-based works that have explored RA textual structures in CE sub-disciplines. The discipline-specific A-IMRD move/step frameworks and patterns presented in this paper can form the foundation of research-based English for Academic Purposes (EAP) pedagogies and teaching materials tailored to the needs of CE students in academic writing courses.
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Recent findings suggest that genre-based tasks such as move analysis when underpinned by the theory of metacognition can familiarize undergraduate students with newly encountered academic genres such as the research article. However, there still is a limited understanding about how and when novices engage in socially shared metacognitive regulation processes (SSMR) during online collaborative genre analysis tasks. The purpose of this study was to identify when and how a small group of undergraduate engineering students engaged in SSMR processes during a collaborative online move analysis wiki task. Results suggest SSMR was frequently triggered when participants faced a task-related problem and manifested as an expression of doubt and conflicting ideas or when participants attempted to reach a consensus on seemingly difficult genre analysis aspects.
The RA (Research Article) is considered to be the main channel of knowledge production. However,
for student writers and novice scholars writing, RA is a challenging task. It is partly because of lack of exposure to
and awareness of the rhetorical structure of RAs (Research Articles) in the intended discipline. The objective of this
study is to identify the rhetorical moves of RAs in applied linguistics and explaining their communicative functions
that can be used for pedagogic purposes for novice scholars in this discipline. Analyses of moves and their constituent
steps together with their frequency count would help suggest obligatory and optional moves in the Introduction section.
Also analysis of move structural patterns, which would enable to draw possible move sequencing is within the purview
of this study. A corpus of 20 empirical RAs of leading and representative 4 journals in applied linguistics have been
analyzed following J.M. Swales (1990 and 2004) move analysis of Introduction sections of empirical RAs. Results
were obtained through software coding of moves of these 20 RAs, and through qualitative analysis of communicative
functions of moves and steps. From the frequency count of moves and steps, it is found that some moves and their
constituent steps are obligatory, while others are optional. Findings show they both conform to and depart from J.M.
Swales’ CARS (Create-a-Research-Space) model in 1990 and 2004. The findings of the study will facilitate better
understanding of RAs in applied linguistics for novice scholars and contribute to these scholars’ efforts to publish their
research in this field.
Introductions to research articles (RAs) have become an important site for the analysis of academic writing. However, analysts have apparently not considered whether RA introductions typically include statements of principal findings. In contrast, this issue is often addressed in the manuals and style guides surveyed, most advocating the desirability of announcing principal findings (APFs) in RA introductions. Therefore, a study of actual practice in two leading journals from two different fields (physics and educational psychology) was undertaken. In the Physical Review 45% of the introductions sampled contained APFs (with some increase in percentage over the last 40 years), while in the Journal of Educational Psychology the percentage fell to under 7%. These figures are at variance with the general trend of recommendations in primary and secondary sources. Thus preliminary evidence points to (a) a mismatch between descriptive practice and prescriptive advice and (b) diversity in this rhetorical feature between the two fields. Peer Reviewed http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68973/2/10.1177_0741088387004002004.pdf
Studies into the organization of information in the medical research paper have tended to present accounts of the structure of information in sections in isolation. The structure of information in all sections of the medical research paper was investigated using Swales' (1981, 1990) genre-analysis model. An eleven-move schema was identified, out of which nine were found to be “normally required” and two “optional”. Each schema was found to embody “constituent elements” and to be characterized by distinct linguistic features. The study provides insights into the nature of discourse organization in this genre of written discourse.
This paper presents a linguistic description of the schematic organisation of research articles in the field of computer science. Forty articles from three different academic journals in computing research have been analysed; the results indicate that the IMRD (introduction-methods-results-discussion) pattern cannot be applied to research articles in computer science systematically. Introductory and concluding sections, however, are used in more instances. It is the central part of these articles which seems to depart more from the IMRD pattern. Detailed analyses of the structure of introductions, results, and conclusions are included, and relevant comparisons with previous studies are drawn.
Taking as their starting point recent work in genre and discourse analysis the authors attempt, through the presentation of results of their own investigations, to establish a framework for a pedagogically useful description of the organisation of discussion sections in research-focused articles and dissertations. A provisional list of descriptive categories is offered along with observations on regularly occurring patterns of moves identified in the texts investigated.
Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of Michigan
Scientific research articles in Malay: A situated discourse analysis [D]. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, The University of Michigan
- U K Ahmad
The medical research papers: structure and functions. English for Specific Purposes
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Geological setting/cadre geologique
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